[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 111 (Tuesday, July 30, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6051-S6052]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES
APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2014--Resumed
Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, what is the pending business?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the title of the bill.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 1243) making appropriations for the Departments
of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2014, and for other purposes.
Pending:
Murray (for Cardin) modified amendment No. 1760, to require
the Secretary of Transportation to submit to Congress a
report relating to the condition of lane miles and highway
bridge deck.
Coburn amendment No. 1750, to prohibit funds from being
directed to Federal employees with unpaid Federal tax
liability.
Coburn amendment No. 1751, to prohibit Federal funding of
union activities by Federal employees.
Coburn amendment No. 1754, to prohibit Federal funds from
being used to meet the matching requirements of other Federal
programs.
Murphy amendment No. 1783, to require the Secretary of
Transportation to assess the impact on domestic employment of
a waiver of the Buy America requirement for Federal-aid
highway projects prior to issuing the waiver.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
Amendments Nos. 1818, 1772, 1800, 1809, 1812, and 1814 En Bloc
Mrs. MURRAY. I ask unanimous consent the following amendments be made
in order and the Senate proceed to their consideration en bloc: Flake
amendment No. 1818, Flake amendment No. 1772, McCaskill-Blunt amendment
No. 1800, Blumenthal amendment No. 1809, Menendez amendment No. 1812,
and Cochran amendment No. 1814.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
The Senator from Maine.
Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, it is with great regret that on behalf
of Senator Coburn, I am objecting.
I wish to point out that we have worked very hard to clear this list
of amendments, and they include amendments from Members on both sides
of the aisle. It is a fair list, and I had hoped we would be able to
proceed tonight.
Regrettably, there is an objection on our side from Senator Coburn.
I am, however, optimistic that with further work we will be able to
deal with that objection. My hope is that in the morning we will have
an agreement that will allow me to agree, as the manager on our side,
to this list. Unfortunately, at this time, I do need to object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call
be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. REID. Madam President, S. 1243 is now pending?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.
Cloture Motion
Mr. REID. I have a cloture motion which is at the desk. With the
Chair's permission, I ask that it be reported.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
Cloture Motion
We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the
provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate,
hereby move to bring to a close debate on S. 1243, a bill
making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation,
and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014, and for other
purposes.
Harry Reid, Patty Murray, Barbara A. Mikulski, Jon
Tester, Tom Harkin, Jack Reed, Dianne Feinstein, Tim
Johnson, Tom Udall, Mark Begich, Christopher Murphy,
Patrick J. Leahy, Richard J. Durbin, Bill Nelson,
Christopher A. Coons, Amy Klobuchar, Mazie K. Hirono,
Richard Blumenthal.
Mr. REID. Madam President, before I go further, I want the Senator
from Washington and the Senator from Maine to hear what I am saying;
that is, I wish to process amendments. We are going to do one in the
morning, which has held up things for some time.
There are other amendments pending. We are going to be voting on
those. I have no problem with that. This is a piece of legislation we
should pass.
I heard the ranking member speak on the floor yesterday, but I was so
impressed because she said what is true. This is what we are,
legislators. When we pass this, everyone knows what the number is if we
pass it.
We go to conference. What happens in conference? The numbers change.
This
[[Page S6052]]
is the way things should happen around here.
I would hope we don't have these lines drawn in the sand and we can
start being appropriators again. When I came here many years ago, I was
so fortunate, only two freshmen were on the Appropriations Committee. I
was on it and also Senator Mikulski.
I loved that committee all these years. It was so much fun.
It hasn't been much fun lately because we haven't had an
Appropriations Committee that has been functioning decently. Senator
Mikulski and Senator Shelby are legislators. They wish to do
legislation as the two managers of this bill do. I would hope we could
move forward.
I have no problem with the Coburn amendments and Paul amendment.
Let's vote on them and move on.
The time has come when we have to try to get it passed. The week is
coming to a close. We have other nominations. We have to move to things
when we get back. We know all the problems we have when we get back. I
wish to do some more work on appropriations bills when we get back.
I ask unanimous consent the mandatory quorum required under rule XXII
be waived.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________